Laundry machine and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

The laundry machine includes a cabinet ( 110 ), a tub ( 120 ) in the cabinet for holding washing water, a drum ( 130 ) rotatably mounted in the tub ( 120 ), a heater ( 115 ) in the tub for heating the washing water, and a control unit for controlling the heater and the drum, wherein the control unit controls heater to operate selectively in a spinning course for drying washing objects.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a laundry machine and a control method thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, in the laundry machine, there are washing machines for washing, dryers for drying, and washing and drying machines for washing and drying. The laundry machine, provided with a washing course, a rinsing course, a spinning or drying course, processes washing objects.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

An object of the present invention is to provide a laundry machine and a control method thereof which can remove moisture from a washing object more effectively.

Solution to Problem

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a laundry machine includes a cabinet, a tub in the cabinet for holding washing water, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub, a heater in the tub for heating the washing water, and a control unit for controlling the heater and the drum, wherein the control unit controls the heater to operate selectively in a spinning course for drying washing objects.

The control unit turns on/off the heater in predetermined periods, or the control unit controls the heater to operate below a predetermined temperature so that the heater is not overheated.

In the meantime, the control unit controls the drum to rotate higher than a predetermined speed.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a laundry machine having a washing course, a rinsing course and a spinning course, includes the steps of driving a heater in the spinning course selectively, and rotating a drum higher than a predetermined speed.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

The laundry machine and the control method thereof of the present invention have following advantageous effects.

The preliminary drying step of the present invention permits to remove moisture from the washing objects more than a predetermined amount, thereby permitting drying the washing objects faster than drying the washing objects naturally, or with a laundry machine having a drying function.

Moreover, the laundry machine and the control method thereof of the present invention enable to remove moisture from the washing objects without providing heating means to the laundry machine additionally.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the disclosure.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of a laundry machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of a method for controlling a laundry machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal section of a laundry machine in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of a method for controlling a laundry machine in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the specific embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of a laundry machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the laundry machine includes a cabinet 110 which forms an exterior of the laundry machine, a tub 120 mounted in the cabinet 110 for holding washing water, a drum 130 rotatably mounted in the tub 120, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the laundry machine.

The cabinet 110 has a body 111 which forms sides, a rear and a bottom of the laundry machine, a front plate 112 which forms a front of the laundry machine, and a top plate 113 coupled to a top of the body 111 to form a top surface of the body. The front plate 112 which forms the front of the cabinet 110 has a laundry opening 112 a for introduction of laundry therethrough. The laundry opening 112 a is provided with a door for opening/closing the laundry opening 112 a.

Mounted to one side of the cabinet 110, there may be an input unit 180 for user's operation of the laundry machine. The user can input a desired course of the laundry machine through the input unit 180. Moreover, the input unit 180 has a display unit (not shown) for displaying information on the laundry machine.

In the meantime, the tub 120, mounted in the cabinet, 110 has an upper portion suspended from an upper side of an inside of the cabinet 110 by springs 121, and a lower portion supported on a damper 122. The springs 121 and the dampers 122 support the tub 120 and attenuate vibration from the drum 130 to the tub 120 when the drum 130 rotates at a high speed.

The drum 130 is mounted in the tub 120 so as to be rotatable in a regular or reverse direction. The control unit makes the drum 130 to rotate for progressing washing, rinsing, and spinning. Mounted on an inside circumference of the drum 130, there may be lifters 131 for lifting the laundry introduced to the drum 130 to a predetermined position. The drum 130 has a plurality of pass through holes 132 formed therein, for the washing water to enable to move in/out of the drum 130 in a washing course, and rinsing course.

Mounted in the cabinet 110, there are a water supply hose 140 for supplying water to the tub 120 from an external water supply source, a water supply valve 141 mounted to the water supply hose 140 for controlling in/out of the water, and a detergent supply unit 142 for holding detergent therein such that the water being supplied through the water supply hose 140 is introduced to the inside of the tub 120 together with the detergent. The washing water or rinsing water is supplied from the water supply source to the inside of the tub 120 through the detergent supply unit 142 following the water supply hose 140. Also, mounted in the cabinet 110, there are a drain hose 150 and a drain pump 151 for draining the washing water used in the washing course or the rinsing course to an outside of the laundry machine.

In the meantime, mounted in a rear or the tub 120, there is a driving unit 160, such as a motor. The driving unit 160 coupled to the drum 130 through a rotation shaft 165, for rotating the drum 130.

In a case the washing course and the rinsing course are carried out by using the laundry machine, the course may be progressed by using water heated by selection of the user or a course selected by the user. In a case heated water is required thus, a heater 125 may be provided to the inside of the tub 120 for heating the water. Moreover, a temperature sensor (not shown) may be mounted to the inside of the tub 120 for measuring a temperature of the washing water, additionally. Accordingly, the control unit puts the heater 125 into operation to heat the water in the tub 120 if heated water is required, and measures the temperature of the water with the temperature sensor, for heating the water to a desired temperature.

In general, the laundry machine having above system washes the washing objects by introducing the washing objects into the drum 130, supplying the washing water and the detergent into the drum 130 and the tub 120, and rotating the drum 130. Upon finishing the washing course, the washing objects are rinsed in the rinsing course to remove residual detergent from the washing objects, and moisture is removed from the washing objects in the spinning course, firstly.

However, even if the moisture is removed from the washing objects in the spinning course, the user can not put on the washing objects, the clothes, at once, but the user can put on the clothes only after the clothes is passed through a drying step. The drying step can be made outdoors naturally by sunshine or wind, or by a laundry machine having a drying function on the drying objects taken out of the laundry machine after finishing the spinning course. In a case the drying step is made outdoors naturally, though it has advantage in that no energy is consumed together with a sterilizing effect, it has disadvantage in that comparatively long drying time period is required. Therefore, if the moisture is removed from the washing objects before the drying step, the drying time period can be shortened even in the case the drying step is made naturally, which will be described in detail.

The present invention includes a preliminary drying step for removing a predetermined amount of moisture from the drying objects before starting the drying step of the drying objects. As described before, the drying step includes the drying made in outdoors naturally and the drying made at the laundry machine having a drying function.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of a method for controlling a laundry machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the control method includes a washing course S210, a rinsing course S230, and a spinning course, and in the spinning course, the preliminary drying step is performed at the same time S250.

Since the washing course and the rinsing course are similar to the related art laundry machine, detailed description of this will be omitted.

In detail, the preliminary drying step can be performed in the spinning course. If the preliminary drying step is performed in the spinning course, since no separate rotation of the drum 130 is required in the preliminary drying step in addition to the spinning course, it is favorable in view of energy saving.

Upon finishing draining at an end of the rinsing course, the control unit puts the heater 125 into operation. In this case, since there is almost no washing water remained in the tub 120 after the rinsing is almost finished, if the heater 125 is kept turned on for a long time period, the heater 125 is likely to be overheated to malfunction. Therefore, it is preferable that the control unit controls the heater 125 such that the heater 125 is turned on/off in predetermined periods for preventing the heater 125 from overheating.

If the heater 125 is turned on/off in predetermined periods, is possible to heat environmental air of the heater 125 while preventing the heater 125 from overheating.

Then, the control unit makes the drum 130 to rotate at a speed higher than a predetermined speed for performing the spinning course. If the drum 130 is rotated at the speed higher than a predetermined speed, the moisture is removed from the washing objects by centrifugal force, firstly. Moreover, the rotation of the drum 130 generates an air flow in the drum 130. According to this, the air heated by the heater 125 can flow following the rotation of the drum 130 and can be supplied to the washing objects. As the heated air is supplied to the washing objects, the moisture remained at the washing objects can be removed, secondly.

In the meantime, FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal section of a laundry machine in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The laundry machine in FIG. 3 is different from the foregoing laundry machine in that the laundry machine in FIG. 3 includes an air flow passage 170 which makes an inside and an outside of the tub 120 into communication.

Accordingly, the laundry machine of the embodiment may be provided with a fan 172 mounted to the air flow passage 170 for causing an air flow in the tub 120 and the drum 130. That is, it is possible that the heater is put into operation for heating the air, and the fan on the air flow passage 170 is put into operation to cause the air flow in the drum 130. By this, it is made possible that the heated air is supplied to the washing objects.

Eventually, the laundry machine of the present invention does not remove the moisture from the washing objects merely by centrifugal force owing to rotation of the drum like the spinning course in the related art, but, in addition to this, removes the moisture from the washing objects more effectively by supplying the heated air to the washing objects.

In the meantime, the preliminary drying step can be performed before or after the spinning course.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of a method for controlling a laundry machine in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in which the preliminary drying step is performed after finishing the spinning course. For an example, according to the user's course selection, a course can be set such that the preliminary drying step is performed at an end of the course after the spinning course is finished, automatically. Or, the preliminary drying step may be performed according to user's selection after a selected course is finished. The user can select to perform the preliminary drying step at the input unit 180.

Thus, if the preliminary drying step is added to an end of the selected course, the preliminary drying step can be performed while the drum is rotating by inertia after the spinning course is finished. In this case, the drum 130 can rotate at a predetermined speed, for an example, 40 to 100 RPM. Though the drum 130 rotates at a rotation speed of the spinning course since the preliminary drying step is performed in the middle of the spinning course in the foregoing embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2, since the preliminary drying step is performed after finishing the spinning course in the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 4, the rotation speed of the drum 130 can be lower than the rotation speed of the spinning course.

In the meantime, if temperature control of the heater 125 provided to the laundry machine is possible, it is also possible that the heater 125 can heat the air while the heater 125 is kept turned on below a predetermined temperature at which the heater 125 is overheated. Even in a case the heater 125 is kept turned on below the predetermined temperature, it is preferable that the heater 125 is turned off periodically in a case the heater 125 is kept turned on more than a certain time period for preventing the heater 125 from overheating.

In the meantime, instead of rotating the drum 130 for generating the air flow in the preliminary drying step, a flow generating member may be provided at one side of the tub 120 adjacent to the heater 125 which can generate the air flow. It is preferable that the flow generating member is of a screw type that can be submerged in water taking that the washing water is held in the tub 120.

Though the foregoing embodiment suggests heating the air with the heater which heats the washing water, the preliminary drying step of the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiment. For an example, since a laundry machine having a drying function is provided with a hot air supply unit in the laundry machine for supplying hot air to the inside of the tub, the preliminary drying step can be made by supplying the hot air by using the hot air supplying unit.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The preliminary drying step of the present invention permits to remove moisture from the washing objects more than a predetermined amount, thereby permitting drying the washing objects faster than drying the washing objects naturally, or with a laundry machine having a drying function.

Moreover, the laundry machine and the control method thereof of the present invention enable to remove moisture from the washing objects without providing heating means to the laundry machine additionally. 

1. A laundry machine comprising: a cabinet; a tub provided in the cabinet for holding washing water; a drum rotatably provided in the tub; a heater provided in the tub for heating the washing water; and a control unit controlling the heater and the drum, wherein the control unit selectively operates the heater in a spinning course for drying washing objects.
 2. The laundry machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit turns on/off the heater in predetermined periods.
 3. The laundry machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the heater below a predetermined temperature so that the heater is not overheated.
 4. The laundry machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit rotates the drum higher than a predetermined speed.
 5. The laundry machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit rotates the drum higher than a predetermined speed.
 6. he laundry machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an air-flow device for causing an air flow in the tub.
 7. The laundry machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the air-flow device comprises a fan provided in an air flow passage communicating an inside of the tub with an outside of the tub.
 8. The laundry machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control unit operates the fan when the heater is operated.
 9. A method for controlling a laundry machine having a washing course, a rinsing course and a spinning course, comprising the steps of: operating a heater in the spinning course selectively; and rotating a drum higher than a predetermined speed.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control unit turns on/off the heater in predetermined periods.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control unit operates the heater below a predetermined temperature so that the heater is not overheated. 